Structure for mounting electric motors

ABSTRACT

An electric motor having a stationary part formed with an annular groove is mounted on a member at an aperture therein. The member at the aperture has an inner edge which includes an inward extending portion between a pair of elastomeric O-rings disposed in the bottom of the groove. The inner edge of the apertured member functions to hold the O-rings in frictional engagement with the motor part. Each of the O-rings in such frictional engagement with the motor part presses against the other with each of the O-rings bearing against a different one of the axially spaced shoulders of the groove in sealing engagement therewith.

United States Patent inventor Nils Kauri Lindgren Stockholm, SwedenAppl. No. 96,472 Filed Dec. 9, 1970 Patented Nov. 2, 1971 AssigneeAktiebolaget Electrolux Stockholm, Sweden Priority Dec. 12, 1969 SwedenSTRUCTURE FOR MOUNTING ELECTRIC MOTORS 6 Claims, 2 Drawing Figs".

US. Cl 310/91, 3l0/87, 248/19 Int. Cl "02k 5/00 Fieldofsearchlilo/91,87; 248/l9 Primary Examiner-D. X. Sliney Attorney- Edmund A.Fenander ABSTRACT: An electric motor having a stationary part formedwith an annular groove is mounted on a member at an aperture therein.The member at the aperture has an inner edge which includes an inwardextending portion between a pair of elastomeric O-rings disposed in thebottom of the groove. The inner edge of the apertured member functionsto hold the 0-rings in frictional engagement with the motor part. Eachof the O-rings in such frictional engagement with the motor part pressesagainst the other with each of the O-rings bearing against a differentone of the axially spaced shoulders of the groove in sealing engagementtherewith.

PATENTEDNDY 2 l 3.617, 784

7 1 '1 'srauc'russ FOR MOUNTING ELECTRIC MOTORS BACKGROUND or THE.INVENTION l. Field of the Invention Electric motors often are mounted bystructure in such manner that the electric motors are mountingstructure. 2. Description of thePrior Art .It. has: been the practiceheretofore to provide a pair of flanges on apartof an electric motorbetween which an inner edge portion of an apertured'plate or member,which serves as a part of the mounting structure, is positioned. Theflanges are mechanically pressed together in order to anchor theelectric motor on the plate or, member in sealing relation therewith.This is objectionable because anchoring an electric motor onthe'plate-or inernberinthis'manner is costly, the assembly of thedifferent components requiring considerable time before they can betixedto one another by suitable fastening means like threaded bolts andtightening nuts, for example;

(SUMMARY or 'rma INVENTION It is an object of my invention to provide animproved structure for quickly mounting electric motors and removingthem from the mounting structure at will without the use of tools. Iaccomplish this by providing an annular groove in a stationary part ofan electric motor and an apertured member which can form a wall of avessel and serves as a component of the mounting structure andcoactswith the annular groove.

The memberat the aperture therein has" an edge portion which includes aninward extending portion between a pair of elastomeric Owings'disposedinthe bottom of the groove, the inner edge of the aperturedmemberfunctioning to hold the Q-jrings in frictional engagementwith themotor part. Each of the O-ringsin s uchfrictional engagementwith themotonpart presses against the btherwith each of the O-ringsbearingagainst a different-one of the. axially spaced shoulders of the groovein sealing engagement therewith.

BRIEFIDESCRIIPTION OF THE D AWING 7 osscalsrlonosrns PREFERREDEMBODIMENTReferring to the drawing, l have shown my invention as applied to anelectric motor 10 comprising a rotatable member (not shown) including ashaft 11 and a stationary part comprising a casing or housing 12 withinwhich the rotatable member is disposed.

The motor 10 is mounted in an apertured member or part 14 of a vessel orcontainer 15 which serves as a component of the motor mountingstructure. The vessel 15 includes an outer rim, or slde l6 and an innerflange 17, both of which are essentially parallel to the axis of theshaft 11, and a wall 18 therebetween which is of conical form andinclined to axis of .the motor shaft. In FIG. 1 and 2 it will be seenthat the inclined wall 18 and inner flange 17 define the apertured partor member l4'ofthe vessel 15,

In accordance with my invention the structure for mounting the electricmotor 10 on the apertured member 14 of the vesse] 15 includes anexternal annular groove 19 which is disposed about the housing 12 andextends lengthwise of the vertical axis of the motor. The groove 19 isformed at the narrow end of the housing 12 from which the shaft 11projects and is defined by a first shoulder 20 and a second shoulder 21which is axially spaced therefrom and formed by a flange 22 at v theshaft end of the housing 12.

A pair of element 23 and 2,4 of annular form are disposed in the bottomof the groove 19. O-rings can be employed as the insealing relation withthe elements 23 and 24. The O-ringsare formed of elastomeric materiallike natural or synthetic rubber or plastic, for example. c

The inner flange 17 of the member 15 includes an inturned edge portion17a whose inner extremity defines the aperture 25 in the member or part14. The inturned edge portion 17 a of the flange 17 extendsinwardbetween the elements or 0- rings 23 and 24. Hence, the inner edge orflange l7,including the inturned portion 17a thereof, functions to holdthe O-rings 23 and 24 in frictional engagement with the housing 12 ofthe motor 10. v

Each of the elements or O-rings 23 and 24 presses against the other whenin frictional engagement with the motor housing, each of the elements 23and 24 bearing against a different one of the shoulders 20 and 21 insealing engagement therewith. As shown most clearly in FIG. 2, the topO-ring 23 is held in a seat formed by theinner flange l7 and itsinturned edge portion 17a and bears against the-shoulder 21 in sealingrelation therewith. Hence, the top O-ring 23 is in good physical contactwith the flange 22 and disposed within the vessel or member 15.

The bottom O-ring 24, on the other hand, bears against the shoulder 20in sealing relation therewith and is disposed outside the vessel ormember 15 below the inturned edge portion 17a of the inner flange 17. x

The axial length of the groove 19 between the spaced shoulders 20 and2lis substantially the combined diameters of the O-rings 23 and 24. TheO-rings 23 and. desirably are identical in which case the axial lengthofthe groove 19 iSabOM twice the diameter of a single O-ring. Withidentical Doings 23 and 24 the depth of the groove 19 is slightly lessthan the radius of a single O-ring. Thez'aperture25 in themember or part14 is slightly larger than the diameterof the motor casing or housing 12so that some play is obtained when the motor 10 is inserted into thevessel or container. 15.

To mount the motor 10 on the vessel 15 the bottom O-ri g 24 ispositioned onthe motor housing12 at a region thereof below the bottomshoulder 20 of the groove 19. The motor 10 is then moved downwardthrough the aperture 25 in the member or part 14 to located the motorshaft 11 within the vessel 15 and position the flange 22 at such adistance from the seat formed by the inner flange l7 and its inturnededge portion 174 thatthe top O-ring 23 can beplaced in the groove 19.With the top O-ring 23 positioned in the groove 19 and the motor ismoved downward so that the O-ring 23 will bear against the shoulder 21at the underside of the flange 22. At this time the bottom O-ring 24 canbe pushed upward on the motor housing 12 to position it in the groove 19in sealing relation to the bottom shoulder 20.

To remove the motor 10 from the vessel 15 the bottom 0- ring 24is'lifted from the groove 19 andmoved downward, on the housing 12 to aregion below the bottom shoulder 20. The motor 10 is then moved downwarda short distance through the aperture or opening 25 to permit removal ofthe top O-ring 23 from the groove 19. When this has been done themotor-10 can be freely moved upward through the opening 25 in the wallor member 14 of the vessel 15.

In view of the foregoing, it will now be understood that l have providedimproved structure for mounting the motor 10 on the vessel 15 andremoving the motor from the vessel at will without the use of tools.

Iclaim:

1. In combination,

a. an electric motor and mounting structure therefor comprising anapertured member,

b. said motor having a stationary part which is disposed about the axisof said motor and is formed with axially spaced shoulders defining anexternal annular groove which extends lengthwise of the motor axis,

c. a pair of elements of annular form which are disposed in the bottomof said groove.

d. said member at the aperture therein having an inner edge whichincludes an inward extending portion between said elements, said inneredge functioning to hold the said elements in frictional engagement withsaid motor part, and

e. each of said elements in such frictional engagement with said motorpart pressing against the other with each of said elements bearingagainst a different one of said shoulders in sealing engagementtherewith.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which said elements compriseO-rings formed of elastomeric material like rubber, for example, theaxial length of said groove being substantially the combined diametersof said O-rings 3. The combination set forth in claim 2 in which thediame ters of said O-rings are substantially the same.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the depth of saidgroove is less than the radii of said O-rings 5. in combination,

a. an electric motor and mounting structure therefor comprising a vesselincluding an apertured wall,

b. said motor having a stationary part which is disposed about the axisof said motor and is formed with axially spaced shoulders defining anexternal annular groove which extends lengthwise of the motor axis,

c. a pair of elements of annular form which are disposed in the bottomof said groove,

dr said wall at the aperture therein having an inner edge which includesan inward extending portion between said elements, said inner edgefunctioning to hold said elements in frictional engagement with saidmotor part, and

e. each of said elements in such frictional engagement with said motorpart pressing against the other with one of said elements disposedwithin said vessel and bearing against one of said shoulders in sealingrelation therewith and the other of said elements disposed exteriorly ofsaid vessel and bearing against the other of said shoulders in sealingrelation therewith.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said elements comprisea pair of substantially identical O-rings formed of elastomeric materiallike rubber, for example, the axial length of said groove beingsubstantially twice the diameter of said O-rings and the depth thereofbeing slightly less than the radii of said O-rings.

1. In combination, a. an electric motor and mounting structure thereforcomprising an apertured member, b. said motor having a stationary partwhich is disposed about the axis of said motor and is formed withaxially spaced shoulders defining an external annular groove whichextends lengthwise of the motor axis, c. a pair of elements of annularform which are disposed in the bottom of said groove, d. said member atthe aperture therein having an inner edge which includes an inwardextending portion between said elements, said inner edge functioning tohold the said elements in frictional engagement with said motor part,and e. each of said elements in such frictional engagement with saidmotor part pressing against the other with each of said elements bearingagainst a different one of said shoulders in sealing engagementtherewith.
 2. The combination set forth in claim 1 in which saidelements comprise O-rings formed of elastomeric material like rubber,for example, the axial length of said groove being substantially thecombined diameters of said O-rings
 3. The combination set forth in claim2 in which the diameters of said O-rings are substantially the same. 4.The combination set forth in claim 3 in which the depth of said grooveis less than the radii of said O-rings
 5. In combination, a. an electricmotor and mounting structure therefor comprising a vessel including anapertured wall, b. said motor having a stationary part which is disposedabout the axis of said motor and is formed with axially spaced shouldersdefining an external annular groove which extends lengthwise of themotor axis, c. a pair of elements of annular form which are disposed inthe bottom of said groove, d. said wall at the aperture therein havingan inner edge which includes an inward extending portion between saidelements, said inner edge functioning to hold said elements infrictional engagement with said motor part, and e. each of said elementsin such frictional engagement with said motor part pressing against theother with one of said elements disposed within said vessel and bearingagainst one of said shoulders in sealing relation therewith and theother of said elements disposed exteriorly of said vessel and bearingagainst the other of said shoulders in sealing relation therewith. 6.The combination set forth in claim 5 in which said elements comprise apair of substantially identical O-rings formed of elastomeric materiallike rubber, for example, the axial length of said groove beingsubstantially twice the diameter of said O-rings and the depth thereofbeing slightly less than the radii of said O-rings.